The mother of a severely premature infant is being allowed to see ...

[tnt_battle]

The mother of a severely premature infant is being allowed to see her baby for the first time. The infant has an IV, a feeding tube, and is receiving phototherapy. He is also hooked up to cardiac and respiratory monitors.
 
  What information or instructions should the mother NOT receive before seeing her infant?
  1. The mother should not touch her infant because the baby's skin is fragile and could be easily hurt.
  2. The mother should not hold the infant before thoroughly washing her hands.
  3. The mother should be told what her infant will look like.
  4. The mother should receive a description of the equipment that is hooked up to her child.

Question 2

A 42-year-old mother was diagnosed with placenta previa, and her baby was delivered by cesarean section at 32 weeks. At birth, the infant has a low pulse rate, low blood pressure, and a capillary filling time of 3.6 seconds.
 
  Which of the following interventions are needed?
  1. Monitor the infant's cardiac and respiratory status.
  2. Have isotonic saline ready for transfusion.
  3. Draw several vials of blood for laboratory testing.
  4. Start the infant on iron supplements.
  5. Have O-negative packed red cells ready for a transfusion.
  6. Start the infant on phototherapy.

[flexer1n1]

Answer to Question 1

Correct Answer: 1
Rationale 1: Physical contact between the mother and infant will facilitate bonding and should be encouraged.
Rationale 2: If the mother is going to hold her infant, she will need to thoroughly wash her hands to decrease the risk of infection.
Rationale 3: The nurse should prepare the mother for what her infant will look like, especially if the infant is hooked up to several machines or tubes.
Rationale 4: Seeing her child for the first time can be emotionally difficult for a mother, but a description of the equipment and its purpose will help the mother understand the care her child is receiving and help ease her anxiety.

Answer to Question 2

Correct Answer: 1,4,5
Rationale 1: This is an appropriate nursing intervention. Monitoring the infant's cardiac and respiratory status will allow the nurse to detect symptoms of shock and assess the effectiveness of treatment.
Rationale 2: Isotonic saline transfusion is used to treat polycythemia, not anemia. This treatment would worsen the patient's condition.
Rationale 3: Blood draws should be kept to a minimum for patients suffering from anemia.
Rationale 4: Iron supplements should be given to help increase red blood cell production.
Rationale 5: Patients with severe anemia will need a blood transfusion. If the infant's blood type is not known, O-negative packed red cells can be used for transfusions. If the infant's blood type is known, the appropriate typed and crossmatched packed red cells should be used.
Rationale 6: Phototherapy should only be started if the infant has jaundice.